This document provides an introduction to goal setting. It defines goals as results or achievements of directed effort similar to scoring goals in sports. Examples of common life goals are given such as losing weight or learning a new skill. The document outlines the difference between needs, wants and dreams and how understanding these can help prioritize goals. SMART goals are introduced as specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. The reader is guided through examples of setting SMART goals and activities to set their own goals. Researching goals is recommended to understand requirements and develop a learning plan to achieve them.

1. Personal Learning Style and
Goal Setting
Session 3: Introduction to Goal Setting

2. What is a goal?
One way to think of goals is through
sports. You want to get goals in soccer,
hockey and lacrosse to gain points.
However, what are goals in everyday
life?

3. What is a goal?
Goals are results or achievements of a directed
effort. Real life goals are similar to goals in
sports because in a sport you work hard to
improve your skills and are rewarded by scoring
goals.

4. What is a goal?
Many of us have set goals without realizing
it.
Have you ever…
• Wanted to loose weight?
• Wanted to quit
smoking?
• Wanted to save money
to buy an important
item?
• Wanted to learn a new
skill?
• Wanted to get a new
job?
• Made a New Year’s
Resolution List?

5. Needs, Wants and Dreams
Our needs, wants and dreams are three things that push us to
accomplish our goals. Therefore, we need to consider them before
choosing our goals.
Needs: things we require to live everyday. This
includes food, shelter and clothing.
Wants: things we desire, but are not essential to
our day-to-day survival.
Dreams: realistic or unrealistic visions of what we
desire for our future.

6. Understanding your needs, wants and
dreams can help you prioritize your
goals and make realistic goals that you
are dedicated to.

7. Need vs. Want

8. Values
A value... is your belief on what is right
and wrong, what should be appreciated
in life and how people should act in a
society.

9. Values
• There are no right or wrong values! Each person
can have their own opinion
• Understanding
your own values
is essential for
goal setting. If
your goal is not in
tune with your
values you could
experience
conflict. This
could result in
stress.

10. Activity
Do “Needs, Wants,
Dreams and Values”
activity.

11. Why should I set goals?
• They give you short-term and long-term motivation
• Once you reach your goals your self-confidence improves
• They help you picture where you want your life to be in the future
• They help you organize your time and resources so you can make
the most of life

12. Happiness
Psychologists say that that people who
make consistent progress toward
meaningful goals live happier more
satisfied lives than those who don’t.
Source: http://michaelhyatt.com/goal-setting.html

13. How to set a goal
A goal can not simply be established
without thought.
Many people make New Year's Resolution lists
but ditch them after a few weeks.
Why?
Because their goals
are too large and are
not measurable.

14. SMART Objectives
Using SMART objectives for goal
setting can help you goal set more
effectively.

15. SMART Objectives
SMART stands for:
 Specific
 Measureable
 Attainable
 Relevant
 Time-bound

16. Specific
 You need to know exactly what you
want to achieve
 A good goal should answer the
questions:
◦ What do I want to accomplish
◦ Why do I want to do this
◦ Who is involved
◦ Where will it happen
◦ What are the requirements and
constraints
◦ Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria

17. Specific
Not Specific: I want to write a book.
Specific: I want to write a book about
my life growing up on the prairies in the
1980's.

18. Measureable
 You need to be able to track your
progress and measure the outcome
 Your goal should include information
about "how much" or "how many"

19. Measureable
Not Measureable: I want to save more
money.
Measureable: I want to put aside 5% of
the money I earn in a savings account
each month.

20. Attainable
 Your goal can be challenging but it
should be attainable in a realistic
amount time with a reasonable
amount of effort

21. Attainable
Not Attainable: I want to go to the moon
on a rocket next week.
Attainable: I want to get to the learning
centre by 8:30 every morning so I can
do a review before my group starts.

22. Relevant
 Your goal should matter
 A goal can be specific, measureable,
attainable and time-bound but still not
be relevant to your situation
 The goal should be worthwhile
 It should be the right time for that goal

23. Relevant
Not Relevant: I want to buy a luxury car.
Relevant: I want to get my grade 12
diploma so I can get a better job to
support my family.

24. Time-bound
 Your goals should have a time limit
 Your goal should include "by when"

25. Time-bound
Not Time-bound: Earn my grade 12
certificate
Time-bound: Earn my grade 12
certificate by the end of June.

26. Activity
Complete the "Now and
Then" activity.

27. How to set a goal
Lucy says that she wants to
learn how to read perfectly
in a week so she can help
her son who is in grade 5
with his novel study. This is
quite ambitious! Is it
possible to succeed at her
goal?

28. How to set a goal
Lucy re-evaluates her
goal, realizing that it is
too ambitious. Lucy
decides she wants to
read and understand her
son's novel study book,
a story with 240 pages,
called Holes by Louis
Sachar. She wants to
finish the novel in two
weeks so she has
enough time to help her
son with the final project.

29. Is Lucy’s new goal SMART?
1. The goal should be specific and stated clearly.
Her clearly stated goal is that she wants to be able to read and
understand her son's novel called Holes by Louis Sachar.
2. The goal should be measurable so progress can be
tracked.
Her goal is measurable because she wants to read 240 pages.
3. The goal should be challenging but not too difficult
(attainable).
If she has never read a novel or a novel of this length, the task can be
considered challenging.
4. The goal should be relevant.
Her goal is relevant to her current situation as a mom who wants to help
her child
5. The goal should be based on a deadline (time-bound).
A goal should meet SMART requirements to be
achievable:

30. Activity
Complete “My Own Goal”
activity.

31. Stairway to Successful Goal
Setting
Create a
goal
What skills
do I need
to reach
my goal?
How will I
obtain
these
skills?
What is my
Learning
Plan or
Action Plan
to achieve
my goal?

32. Activity
Do “Personal Goal Mind-
Map” and “Jessie’s Goal”
activities.

33. Researching your goal
To understand the complexity of your
goal you need to do your research.
Think about this…
To achieve your goal do you need to:
• obtain your high school diploma or
equivalent?
• learn a special set of reading, writing and
mathematical skills?
• pass an entrance test for a specialized
program?
• finish a college or specialized course?
• obtain a certification?

34. Researching your goal
To obtain this data there are many
reliable sources you can use:
• Adult Learning Centres
• Community Training and Employment Resource
Centre
• Reference Section of a Library
• Reliable websites
• Local Adult High School Student Services
Department or Guidance Centre
• Online Adult Learning Network
• Adult Learning Teachers
• People in the field you are interested in

35. Activity
Complete the “My Goal
Research” activity.

36. Milestone 57

37. Credits
This Power Point was created by Laubach Literacy
Ontario.
The resources can be downloaded free of charge at
www.laubach-on.ca.
This Employment Ontario project was funded by the
Ontario Government. 2015
All website links were accurate at the time of original
distribution-March 2015.
All of the images and clip art used in this Power Point
are from Clipart.com and Microsoft Office.com.